House can’t pass Carp extension bill as Christmas gift to farmers

FARMERS continue to dream of agrarian reform, bringing their aspirations with them in protest rallies like this one at the Department of Agriculture held in June. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives majority leader said it is not possible to pass this year the bill extending the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) until 2016 as a Christmas gift to farmers.

In a press conference Tuesday, Mandaluyong Representative Neptali Gonzales II said it is not possible to pass House Bill 4296 in the last two remaining session days of Congress before it goes on Christmas break.

He was reacting to the plea of the House agrarian reform committee to start plenary debates on the bill as an early Christmas gift to farmers.

“We take courage, on behalf of landless farmers in the country, to beseech our esteemed Speaker Sonny Belmonte and Majority Floor Leader Neptali Gonzales II to include HB 4296 in the plenary agenda on the last days of Congress.  It would be a timely Christmas gift to farmers who still do not own the lands they have tilled for years,” agrarian reform committee chair Teddy Baguilat said in a press conference.

“If you trace the history of CARP, talagang mahirap ang pinagdaananan niyan… Hindi pwede nitong Pasko na ito,” Gonzales clarified.

Gonzales cited a provision in the bill that various sectors and lawmakers opposed – Section 3, which expands the kind of lands covered by the Carp beyond June 30, 2015 to include government-owned lands reserved for military and education purposes that have remained idle, as well as lands classified as alienable and disposable but which are deem suitable for agriculture.

The Carp was known as the landmark agrarian reform legislation which started under the Corazon Aquino administration, and its implementation was extended in 2009 for another five years under the law Carp extension with reforms (Carper).

About questions on the validity of the law, Coop-NATCCO Rep. Anthony Bravo clarified that the Carper law did not expire last June 30 since there is no law or issuance repealing it.

“With the unfinished business in the implementation of agrarian reform, it cannot be said that the CARPER law has already fulfilled its mandate and thus no longer applicable and should no longer be enforced,” he said.